There is a common belief that crying helps relieve stress and achieve psychological comfort, but a recent study conducted in Austria has shown that it's not that simple. A research team from Karl Landsteiner University of Medical Sciences documented 315 crying episodes to understand the reasons that lead people to tears and the emotions that follow these episodes. According to the study, researchers used a mobile application, which allowed the participants to characterize their feelings immediately after a crying episode, and then again after 15, 30, and 60 minutes. The researchers concluded that crying does not always bring an immediate sense of relief. Many people feel worse after the tears stop. However, crying caused by listening to a moving story or watching a dramatic film is often followed by a feeling of relief. The study also found that women cry more frequently and more intensely, usually due to feelings of loneliness, while men are more likely to cry out of a sense of helplessness.
